Virtual Library - Jackson County Library System

The Jackson County Library System & Covid-19

The Jackson County Library buildings in Jackson, Lakefield, and Heron Lake are open with a few remaining restrictions. While Jackson County is in high transmission, people are requested to wear masks inside and it is requested that people stay home if sick and stay 6 feet apart.

Computers will be cleaned between each patron.

Curbside Pickup Service is still available during our regular library hours. Library staff will continue to offer services digitally and by phone. Staff are available by phone to help you choose items to place on hold for curbside pickup or you can place them online.

And of course, our virtual branch is open right here on our website and on the libraries' Facebook pages. For questions or help, you can contact us using the form on the Contact page.

Important Information

Library Holds

Holds can be placed for items within Plum Creek, but they will take longer to become available due to safety precautions. Holds through MNLink are available on a limited basis. Curbside Pickup service is available at all three locations to pickup holds or you can come into the library.

eLibrary

The library has whole collections of digital materials to checkout! Go to our eLibrary page to learn about them or scroll down to the Read for Free! section of this page to see all of the collections from both the library and others who have made materials free to download during this time.

WiFi Access 24/7

All locations have WiFi turned on at all times. It can be accessed by parking near any of the three library buildings.

WiFi Hotspots Now Available!!!

You can now checkout the Internet from the library! A mobile Internet hotspot uses cellular access to create a WiFi connection, allowing people to connect to the Internet where there is not typically strong, or any, WiFi access. The Jackson County Library System has received twelve hotspots to be checked out by our patrons.

These hotspots were made available through The Minnesota State Library, a division of the Minnesota Department of Education that created a connectivity grant for libraries across the state. This program is partially funded with a grant from the Minnesota Department of Education using federal funding, CFDA 45.310, Library Services and Technology Act (LS-00-19-0024-19) Grants to States.

Hotspots can be checked out by any Jackson County resident with a library card in good standing. They may not be placed on hold, but are available on a first come, first serve basis. Since they are a limited resource, they are checked out for two weeks and cannot be renewed.

Virtual Programming

Library YouTube Channel
The library now has a YouTube Channel! We will be sharing videos there as well as Facebook so you have another place to watch and enjoy all of the virtual programming that the library has to offer. Use the links below to navigate to the videos you want to watch!

Storytime Playlist
Bedtime Storyhour Playlist
Fall Adult Programs Playlist (content starting on Oct. 28)

Storytimes!
Spark the love of reading by introducing your child to these fun storytimes. Storytimes help children develop a lifelong love for reading, and play an important role in building early literacy skills. Children learn how to interact with books, are introduced to new words, and introduced to new concepts.

Jackson County Library System Storytime

Join us every Tuesday @ 10 AM on our Facebook pages for Storytime fun with Ms. Carrie, Ms. Kathy, and Ms. Sunny! You can also watch the most recent Storytime and Bedtime Storyhour videos on the Infants & Toddlers page.

Heron Lake Library Facebook

Jackson Library Facebook

Lakefield Library Facebook

Celebrity Storytimes

Access #OperationStorytime on Twitter to discover stories ready by celebrities, authors, and illustrators.

Oliver Jeffers reads Monday through Friday on LIVE Instagram

James Dean reads Pete the Cat on Mondays on LIVE Instagram

Mondays with Michelle Obama on PBS Kids Facebook and YouTube

StorylineOnline Archived Storytimes

StoryMakers and Read Out Loud at KidLit TV

Everday Storyhour with Robbi & Matthew on YouTube A daily, fun, picture-book storytime followed by an author chat time where they talk about the creative process, answer questions, and suggest activities to do at home.

Read For Free!

Digital Library Resources
Read & listen to eBooks for free with your library card!

Minnesota Resources
Read digitally for free with these services provided by the state.

Libby

Your library card gives you access to thousands of free eBooks and eAudiobooks that can be checked out and downloaded to your device. For Apple and Android phones and tablets, the Libby App is available and can be downloaded. The collection can also be accessed in a web browser and books read or listened to on a computer or laptop. For Kindle tablets, it is easiest to access the the resources in a web browser and then select the option to "Send to Kindle." To learn more, browse our collection, and check out items, go to plumcreeklibrary.overdrive.com.

Ebooks Minnesota

This is an online ebook collection spearheaded by Minnesota’s libraries and is open to Minnesota readers. The collection is accessible online at ebooksMN.org and via free apps from iTunes, Google Play, and Kindle. Readers can access any book in the collection at any time regardless of how many other readers are also using that book. This feature makes the collection particularly useful for schools that may wish to assign a single book to an entire class or even an entire school or for book clubs who miss reading a book together.

Electronic Library Minnesota

ELM (Electronic Library for Minnesota) gives Minnesota residents access to magazine, journal, newspaper and encyclopedia articles, media, including images, videos, and audio files, and other information resources.

ELM provides information on a vast array of topics, including consumer information, arts and humanities, career, occupation, and test prep, current events, health, science, social science, politics, business, and more. There are resources available to help build resumes or practice college entrance tests in the Learning Express database within ELM.

Minnesota Reflections

Minnesota Reflections is a database of digitized original materials shared by cultural heritage organizations located across our state. These materials include images, text, audio, film, and more, with new items added on a regular basis. The resources found on this site support research for scholars, educators, students, and the public. Minnesota Reflections is the premier project of the Minnesota Digital Library.

MN Writes MN Reads

Curbside Pickup
Get a bag of library materials starting on May 18!

Other Free Resources
Read with these other resources that are freely available.

Step One: Place an Order

Use our catalog to search for items and place a hold on the items you want. There will be delivery from other libraries during this time, though it may take longer for your hold to become available than during normal times.

Call the library with specific requests or areas of interest and staff will pull the items for you. If you call, you can request specific titles or ask for a certain number of books, DVDs or CDs in certain genres and staff will choose items for you.
You will be notified via email or phone when your hold is ready. Your hold may not be filled on the day of request. Please be patient.

Phone Numbers to Call:

Heron Lake Library: 507-793-2641
Jackson Library: 507-847-4748
Lakefield Library: 507-662-5782

Step Two: Wait for Notification and Schedule Pickup

After you receive notification, call the library when you are ready to pick up your holds.
Have your library barcode number available to give staff.
Staff will then schedule you an appointment time for pick-up.
Staff will check your items out, put them in a plastic bag, and place the bag on the Curbside table at your scheduled pickup time.

Pickup Table Locations:
LAKEFIELD TABLE - inside the door on WEST side of building on Main Street
JACKSON TABLE - inside the door on EAST side of building on Highway 71
HERON LAKE TABLE - inside the entrance

Step Three: Pickup your items

Curbside Pickup Hours

Day of the Week	Lakefield	Jackson	Heron Lake
Monday	1:00 PM - 5:30 PM	10:00 AM - 7:00 PM	CLOSED
Tuesday	11:00 AM - 5:30 PM	10:00 AM - 7:00 PM	2:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday	11:00 AM - 5:30 PM	10:00 AM - 5:00 PM	3:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Thursday	11:00 AM - 7:00 PM	10:00 AM - 7:00 PM	2:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Friday	11:00 AM - 5:00 PM	10:00 AM - 5:00 PM	11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday	10:00 AM - 1:00 PM	10:00 AM - 3:00 PM	10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Returning Items

Available for a Limited Time

Big Timber Media is offering free access to a variety of eBooks through June 30. These bundles are web-hosted, which means accessing your eBooks requires an internet connection. They have resources for children through teens.

Junior Library Guild is providing free, unlimited access to read books online from any device through May 31. JLG has three streams separated into Elementary, Middle School and High School

Audible is providing free access to kids everywhere. They can instantly stream an incredible collection of stories, including titles across eight different languages, that will help them continue dreaming, learning, and just being kids. All stories are free to stream on your desktop, laptop, phone or tablet.

Project Gutenberg

Free Stay at Home Fun

Crosswords, Puzzles, & Escape Rooms!
Keep your brain active with these fun activities.

Printable Activities!
Print these activities to keep you busy at home.

What's Going On In...

Digital Escape Rooms: For Families

Based on Books:

Dog Man Escape Room

Escape the Egyptian Tomb created by the Clermont County Public Library

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library created by Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library

Escape from Treasure Island created by Andover Public Library

Escape from Wonderland Digital Escape Room created by Moultrie-Colquitt County Library System

Escape to Narnia created by The County Library (Salt Lake)

Hatchet Escape Room created by Aiken County Public Library

JUMANJI Digital Escape Room created by The County Library (Salt Lake)

Pete the Cat: Help Pete the Cat Get His Groove Back created by Coy Public Library

Roald Dahl Digital Escape created by Willoughby City Library

Educational:

Asteroid Collision created by York County School Division

Google Earth Scavenger Hunt created by The County Library (Salt Lake)

Rescue the Revolution!

The Smurfs created by TeacherJBrooks, via Teachers Pay Teachers

States of Matter: What’s the Matter? created by York County School Division

Fairy Tales:

Can You Make it through the Enchanted Forest? created by Needham Public Library

Cinderella Escapes created by Henika District Library

Escape the Fairy Tale: Part 1 created by Needham Public Library

Escape the Fairy Tale: Part 2 created by Needham Public Library

Mermaid Escape Room created by Kendal B, 6th Grade Girl Scout Cadette

Mother Goose Mystery created by The County Library (Salt Lake)

Taneytown Library Fairy Tale Escape Room

Fandoms:

Harry Potter: Escaping Detention created by Plymouth Public Library

Harry Potter Escape Room created by PCPL

Harry Potter: Hogwarts Escape Room - The one that started it all! - Created by: Township Public Library

Harry Potter: Locked in Hogwarts created by Williamsburg Regional Library

Lord of the Rings: Middle Earth Escape Room created by Ramara Public Libra

Magical Disney Lock-In created by Richmond Hill Public Library

Marvel’s Avengers: Escape from the Hydra Base! created by Richmond Hill Public Libra

Marvel: Defeat Thanos and Save the World! created by Mesa Public Library

Minecraft Escape Room created by Regency Park Library

Pokemon: Pikachu’s Rescue

Pokemon: Pokemon Panic Escape Room created by Richmond Hill Public Library

Sher-Lock Digital Escape Room created by The County Library (Salt Lake)

Sherlock Holmes: The Missing Tiger created by Cotsen Children’s Library

Shrek Themed Escape Room created by Librarian Laura Escamilla

Star Wars Digital Escape Room created by the Dover Area Community Library

STAR WARS: Escape from Star Killer Base! created by Richmond Hill Public Library

Star Wars Escape Room: Rebel Spy Escape created by Pewaukee Public Library

STAR WARS: May the 4th Be With You created by Rocky Mountain House Public Library, Alberta, Canada

Digital Escape Rooms: For Teens

Fandoms:

Harry Potter: Magic Final Exam Digital Escape Room created by San Leandro Public Library

Hunger Games Digital Escape Room created by Longview Public Library

Hunger Games: The 74th Hunger Games created by Round Rock Public Library

Hunger Games: Escaping the Hunger Games created by Plymouth Public Library

Hunger Games: Infiltrating the Capitol created by Arlington Public Library

Indiana Jones: Dr. Jones and the Lost Grail created by The County Library (Salt Lake)

Lord of the Rings: Escape Gollum’s Cave

Lord of the Rings: A Hobbit’s Adventure created by Bedford Public Library System

Mandalorian Escape Room created by Manchester Community College Library

Six of Crows: Ketterdam Heist Digital Escape Room created by Morristown & Morris Township Library

Stranger Things: Welcome to the Snow Ball created by Zion Benton Public Library

Stranger Things Virtual Escape Room created by A Stranger Things Fan, Manuel Martínez

Educational:

Civil War: Breakout

Egypt: Ancient Egypt Tomb Challenge created by Campbell County Public Library

Egypt: Escape like an Egyptian created by Dover Public Library

Egypt: Escape the Sphinx! created by Clermont County Public Library

Google Earth Scavenger Hunt created by The County Library (Salt Lake)

HistoryWritten: The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln

Survive the Titanic! created by Henika District Library

Miscellaneous:

Cabin Fever created by St. Albert Public Library

Escape Your Boring Break created by St. Albert Public Library

The Minotaur's Labyrinth Escape Room created by The County Library (South Lake)

Prometheus Escape Room created by Hastings Public Library

Space Explorer Training - Digital Escape Room created by Campbell County Public Library

Zombie Mayhem created by Taos Public Library

Digital Escape Rooms: For Adults

Classics Digital Escape Room created by The County Library (Salt Lake)

Dr Who Escape Room created by Tehachapi Branch Library

Golden Girls created by Tomeka Roulhac

Indiana Jones Digital Escape Room created by Manchester City Library

Indiana Jones: Dr. Jones and the Lost Grail created by The County Library (Salt Lake)

Oh the Horror: Classic Tales Exscape Room created by Buffalo and Erie County Public Library

Schitt$ Creek Escape Room created by Evansdale Public Library

Shakespeare Virtual Escape Room created by Patten Free Library

Sherlock Holmes created by Sherlock the Musical

Spy Apprentice Digital “Escape Room” Adventure created by Washington-Centerville Public Library

Star Trek Escape Room created by The County Library (Salt Lake)

Jackson County Library System Printables

Coloring Sheets

Miscellaneous Activity Printables

Exercise & Active Fun
Get the whole family moving with these free online resources!

Language Learning
Why not learn a new language for free?!

Exercise Activities for Everyone

Duolingo

Writing Activities
Be creative with these fun writing activities!

Library of Congress
Check out these curated activities for the whole family!

Writing Prompts

LOC Activities

The Library of Congress has curated lots of activities for your family! A few of them are listed here but access their website for the full collection.

Record Family Histories with StoryCorps
Build an oral history of your household. StoryCorps will walk you through the process with suggested questions and interview tips.
AVAILABLE HERE

Read a Rare Children's Book
The Library of Congress has digitized copies of rare children’s books.
AVAILABLE HERE

Be a Kid Citizen
Explore Congress and civic engagement through primary sources with the interactive Kid Citizen website, a Library of Congress partner organization.
AVAILABLE HERE

Explore Everyday Mysteries
Select a mystery every day from the Library of Congress’ Science, Technology, and Business Division and find out fun facts like why onions make you cry.
AVAILABLE HERE

Virtual Learning Resources

General Resources & Lessons
Jump into learning at home with these free resources!

Art
Let out your creativity!

Scholastic Watch & Learn

Videos have become an essential part of teaching and are one of the best tools to build learning excitement! Created by the editors of Scholastic News® and Let’s Find Out Magazines®, the Watch & Learn Library provides teachers with an online bank of developmentally-appropriate nonfiction videos to build knowledge, vocabulary, and introduce new concepts and topics. Simple and intuitive navigation makes teaching with the Watch & Learn Library an educational delight!

You do need a library card to access this resource. Call the library today to learn how to get one!

General Resources

Drawing

Science
Dive into science topics with these resources!

Music & Theatre
Explore music and theatre all from home!

Scholastic ScienceFlix

General Science

Coding

Music Lessons

Symphonies

Operas

Space
Explore the final frontier!

Reading
Develop literacy skills and explore favorite books and discover new favorites!

NASA

Scholastic BookFlix

With colorful animation, rich audio, and interactive games, BookFlix^® is a perfect tool to engage and support beginning readers. Built-in literacy support tools–including read aloud and word highlighting–cultivate key literacy skills, support beginning and ELL readers, and build fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

You do need a library card to access this resource. Call your library today to learn how to get one!

Publisher Resources